Shuttleless loom



Oct. 18, 1932. H. DREYFUS ET AL SHUTTLELESS LOOM Filed Oct. 15, 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 HENRY DREYFUS FRANK C. HALE Oct. 18, 1932. H. DREYFUS ET AL SHUTTLELESS LOOM Filed Oct. 15, 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 HENRY DREYFUS A FRANK c. mui

ATTOINIYI Patented Oct. 18, 1932 UNITED STAT-Es PATENT OFFICE HENRY DREYFUS, OF LONDON, AND FRANK CORBYN HALE, 0F SPONDON, NEAR DERBY, ENGLAND, ASSIGNORS TO CELANESE CORPORATION OF AMERICA, A CORPORATON OF DELAWARE SHUTTLELESS LOOM Application med October 15, 1930, Serial No. 488,828, and in Great Britain October 23, 1929.

This invention relates to looms, and more particularly to shuttleless looms, i. e., those receiving weft from a stationary supplyat one or both sides of the looms.

A shuttleless loom according to the invent1on comprises in combination means for measuring weft at a side of the loom in the form of a loop Whose length is sufficient for two picks, weft-inserting means adapted to engage one limb of the loop and carry i-t part-way through the shed, and means for' transferring the weft from the inserting means to weft-withdrawing means by which the weft is carried through the remainder of the shed, the weft which has thus been laid in the shed then being released by the withdrawing means.

If desired, a weft loop may be measured at one side of the loom only, the second limb of the loop being laid in the shed in a manner similar to the first before a second loop is measured. For weft-mixing purposes, means may be arranged to measure two or more loops from which weft is inserted in any desired sequence.

The invention is, however, particularly advantageous when operating to measure weft loops at both sides of the loom, since it allows two different weft yarns'to be used and inserted in any desired order, for example, alternately by insertion from each side in turn, or two picks of one weft followed by two picks of the other. This facility in selection is useful in the weaving of crpe fabrics in which the filling consists of both right and left hand twisted weft inserted either alternately or in pairs of one twist alternating with pairs of the other twist. It will be understood that the rate of picking proceeds at the same rate whether consecutive weft lengths are drawn from the same side of the loom or from different sides, it merely being necessary in the latter case to arrange that the weft carrying devices on each side of the loom serve bothas inserting means and as withdrawing means, sol that the actual picking operation is effected by the same movements of these devices, irre-v spective of the direction of'thejpassage of the'weft through the shed. Alternatively,

two pairs of inserting and withdrawing devices niay be employed, one pair effecting the passage of the weft in one direction through the shed, and the other pair in the other direction.

The weft inserting devices may take Yany convenient form and may be actuated in any suitable manner. For instance, they may consist'of a'pair of rods arranged to be propelled across the lay along the path normally followed by the shuttle of ordinary looms, the end of one rod being provided with a hook or the like adapted to engage a limb of the weft loop which has been measured at a side of the loom, and the end ofthe other rod having a. hook or the like adapted to catch the weft held by the rst rod and to draw the weft through the remainder of the shed aftertransfer.

Flexible metallic strips serving as weft insertingand withdrawing means as described in British Patent application No. 32195/29 filed 23rd October, 1929 and corresponding U. S. application S. No. 488,827 filed Oct. 15, 1930 may likewise be employed, such flexible strips keeping the width of the loom to a minimum.

Tension means are preferably provided on the inserting and withdrawing devices so as to lay the weft evenly in the shed.

Any suitable type of loop forming and measuring means may be used which can form and present in turn to an inserting dcvice two limbs of weft each of suflicient length fora pick. In the accompanying drawings, which illustrate by way of example one form of loom according to the invention, the loop forming and measuring means shown are of the kind described in British Patent application No. 32194/29 filed 23rd October` 1929 and corresponding U. S. application S. No. 484,785 filed Sept. 27, 1930, these means being simple in character and readily ad]ust able in l:accordance with the width of fabric to be woven.

In the drawings Fig. 1 is a side elevation and Fig. 2 a front elevation of the loom provided with rods for inserting and withdrawing weft;

Figs'. 3 and 4 are plan views of the ends of the inserting and withdrawing rods; and

Figs. 5, 6 and 7 are diagrams illustrating three stages during the measuring and insertion of the weft.

A weft supply package 10 issuitably positioned at the side of the loom for weft thread 11 to b e led over a guide 12 to the weft loop measuring means.

These means comprise a rotatable disc 13 on which are mounted two pairs of trapping and severing devices 14, 15. The end of the weft thread is held in one trapping device 14 and rotation of the disc 13 causes the weft to pass between the jaws of the other trapping device 14, a hooked member associated with the severing device 15 guiding the thread in such a manner that it may slide freely through the severing device.

The weft now extends between the pairs of devices 14and is there engaged by a pair of pegs 16 mounted on a chain 17 which runs along the side of the loom to draw out a loop of weft between the two devices 14. The

pegs 16 are preferably formed as light roll' ers so as to reduce the tension imparted to the weft during ,the loop-forming operation. The chain 17 passes round sprockets 18 on brackets 19, 20 and is driven by a chain sprocket 30 at a speed which causes the peg 16 to traverse a distance approximately equal to the length of pick to be inserted, whilst the disc 13 rotates through half a revolution.

Driving of the chain and rotation of the disc 13 is derived from the crankshaft of the loom 21, spiral gears 22 on the crank-shaft driving a shaft 23, spiral gears 25 and a cross shaft 24. A pair of bevel wheels 26 mounted on the shaft 24 drive the disc 13 which is arranged to rotate about a vertical axis in a bracket 54. A further pair of bevel wheels 27 rotate spur gears 28 connected to the wheel 30 which drives the chain 17.

When the weft loop has been drawn to a suiiicient length, the weft which has been running through one trapping device 14 is seized by that device, while the other device 14 releases the free end of theV weft. Operation of the devices 14 is effected by bell-crank levers connected to the moving jaws of the devices andengaging a cam55. The severing devlces 15 are similarly actuated by a cam 56. The cams 55, 56 are adjustably-connected to the disc 13 so" as to enable any alteration of timing to be readily carried out.

As the weft end is released from the one dey vice 14, one limb of the weft loop is engaged and presented to the path of the weft inserter for insertion into the shed by a depressor pivotally mounted on the lay 46 and connected y a rod 49 to a bell-crank lever 50 and cam bowl 52. A cam 51 mounted on the shaft 53 which rotates at half crank-shaft speed engages the cam bowl 52l to eiect the presentatlon of a limb of the weft loop t0 the weft in- `finger 32 is una serter at alternate picks of the loo1n,`i. e. at every pick to be inserted at the side of the loom where the depressor is arranged. A linger 32 has meanwhile been caused to enter the weft loop, so that the loop limb still gripped by a trapping device 14 bendsround the finger 32 in passing to the limb that has just been inserted into the shed. The finger 32 is operated from a. cam 35 on a shaft 134 lying parallel to the shaft 24, the. cam 35 being connected to a gear 34'driven a't the required speed from the shaft 24. The cam 35is connected through a bell-crank lever 36 pivoted at 38 and a rod 39 pivoted to the lever 36 at 37 to a further bell-crank lever 40 pivoted at 41, which in turn raises a rod 42. This rod 42 is spring-coupled to two toggles 43, the ends of which are connected respectively to a spring-loaded slide rod 44 and to a rocker arm 33 carrying the linger 32.

lVhile the tog les form a straight line, the

le to move against the tension of the weft passing round it, so that the tension of the weft is maintained during beatup. The cam 35 then releases the toggles 43 and the finger 32 is free to move against the action of the spring on the rod 42 as the continued rotation of the disc 13 imparts greater tension on the remaining limb of the weft loop. This tension may be regulated by adjusting the spring on the-rod 42.

The cam 35 has a quick drop to allow the linger 32 to move suddenly out of position as a second pair of pegs 16 brings a second weft loop from the disc 13. The spring loaded rod 44 allows the arm 33 to rock should the pegs catch the finger 32. l.

Motion of the lay 46 is obtained from a cam 29 mounted on the crankshaft of the loom, the contour of the cam being such that the lay is retained in its rearmost position for the major portion of the revolution of the shaft and is operated rapidly to effect beatup, thus allowing suflicient time for operation of the weft inserters to avoid danger of the insertersfouling the warps. v

The weft inserters 65 are arranged to car the weft thread to a midhed position an' to transfer the thread from 'one to the other, the weft being carried part way across the shed `by the one inserter and throu h theremainder of the shed by the secon inserter. Operation of the inserters 65 is e'ected by links 64 coupled to the oscillating picking arms 63 whichy are operated by the cams 60 mounted on the shaft 62, which shaft 62 is supported in bearings 61, and is driven at crankshaft speed by gears connected to the crankshaft.l

The weft-engaging heads 66 of the inserters 65 are shown to an increased .scale in Figs. 3 and 4, each head comprising a fork 67 into which the weft enters when engaged by the inserter, and `a hook 68 to which the weft is transferred when the heads meetin .lia

the shed. A plate 70 guides the thread during `transfer and guard plates 69 prevent possibility of the heads engaging the warps.

The heads thus enableeach .rod 65 to per- I form the dual function of insertingand withdrawing device, so that weft'can e inserted from each side of the loom.

In order to adjust the amount of weft which has to be drawn with the loo to cover the distance between the edge o the fabric and the finger 32 after insertion of thelirst loop limb, which amount to ether with the second limb f orms'the secon pick, the pegs 16 pass at each side of afixed peg '71 so as to draw a subsidiary loop of weft at the bight end of the main loop. The peg 71 is adjustable in. accordancewith the width of fabric being woven, so that correct pick lengths can readily be formed for all widths of. fabric. The disc 13 is also adjustable along the shaft 24 to enable the length of the main loop to be altered in accordance with changes in the width of the fabric.

It will be seen that after the first loop limb has been inserted and a corresponding limb has been also inserted from the other side of the loom, the second limb of the first loop is still attached to the weftv package 10 and gripped by a trapping device'15. This limb isL then depressed into the path of one inserter and releasedy from the trapping device, at the same time being cutffrom the supply by the severing device 14 associated .with the trapping device 15. The second loop limb is similarly cutand released at the other side of the loom to complete a weaving cycle comprising the insertion offour picks. y

Each disc performs a half-revolution during the formation `of each loop, and the pairs of trapping and severing devices 14, 15 have changed positions in readiness for the formation of the next loop.

Figs. 5, 6 and 7 show clearly the formationl of the weft loops vby means of disc devices A, B at the two sides of the loom andthe insertion of the loops to form picks a', b, c, d

of the fabric am These figures also show the positions `of the weft inserting and withdrawing devices at the diiferent stages lof floop formation. p

What we claim and desire to secure by'Letters Patent is 1. A shuttleless loo/m comprising in combination means for measuring weft ,from a stationary supply ata` side of the loom in the form of a loop whose lengthis sucient for two picks, 4weft-inserting means adapted to means for eecting the transfer of weft from the inserting rod to the withdrawing rod.

3. A shuttleless loom according to claim 1 -chmprising weft measuring imeans at each engage each limb ofthe loop in-turn and 'carry it part-way through the shed,` and Y -means for transferring the weft thus inserted to withdrawing means adapted to carry it through the remainder ofthe shed. y

2.- A- shuttleless loom according to` claim 1 comprising weft-inserting and withdrawing means in the form of rods provided with 

